Mobility
Busway From España to Quezon Avenue? The DOTr Wants to Make It Happen
Feasibility study is underway for what DOTr calls its most doable bus lane plan.
Published on Jun 19, 2025
(SPOT.ph) The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is pushing a dedicated bus lane from España Boulevard to Quezon Avenue, which Secretary Vince Dizon calls “the most
viable and the most needed” project in the works.
"It's feasible. We need more bus rapid transits," Dizon said.
The proposal would mirror the setup of
the EDSA Bus Carousel: a separated, center-running lane just for public buses. The
goal is to provide commuters—especially students in the University Belt—a faster and more reliable way to navigate the 15-kilometer stretch.
According to Dizon, the plan is still under
a feasibility study, which is expected to be completed by 2026. Both roads are already wide enough to support dedicated
lanes without major reconstruction, making the project more feasible than
others that require new infrastructure. The busway could also help ease
pressure on the EDSA Bus Carousel, which has long been operating at full
capacity during rush hour.
“It is not difficult to build. Kita mo naman [EDSA] Busway, pandemic lang ginawa ‘yun," Dizon said.
If greenlit, the España Boulevard to Quezon Avenue route could operate through a public-private partnership—basically the government builds it, then a private operator runs it.
Not the first proposal
This isn’t the first time a bus
rapid transit (BRT) system has been proposed for Quezon Avenue. Conceptualized
in 2016, the Metro Manila Bus Rapid Transit Project (MMBRTP) would have
stretched 11.4 kilometers from Philcoa in Quezon City to Manila City Hall. Although
it gained traction during the pandemic, it was shelved after a series of administrative changes, missed loan deadlines, and
implementation failures.
The World Bank eventually canceled the loan in 2022,
citing “weak agency capacity, inefficient procurement management, and
pandemic-related delays.” The government was still left to pay P28.8 million in
commitment fees even if the project never broke ground.
Because of this, transport experts remain cautious about the DOTr’s latest proposal. We'll have to wait
and see what happens next.
Micah believes that writing is always political. Beyond the byline, you’ll find her bruising herself in a pole studio or napping with her beagle. Reach her at micah@spot.ph.
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